Systemic and Metabolic Profile of Sagging Eye Syndrome: A Comparative Analysis

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Geriatrics
• Medical Research

Background:

• Sagging eye syndrome (SES) is an acquired strabismus affecting older individuals, characterized by distance esotropia (ET) and cyclo-vertical deviation.
• Understanding the factors associated with SES is crucial for diagnosis and management in the geriatric population.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify demographic, systemic, and ocular factors associated with SES.
• To compare these factors in SES patients with other forms of esotropia (ET) in older adults.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective cohort study.
• Reviewed demographic data, systemic comorbidities, ocular history, and strabismus in esotropic patients aged 55 and older diagnosed with SES.
• Compared SES patients with age-matched controls diagnosed with other forms of ET.

Main Results:

• SES patients experienced symptom onset at a significantly older age compared to non-SES ET patients (72 years for males, 75 years for females with SES).
• Lower body mass index (BMI) was significantly associated with SES in women (odds ratio = 0.91).
• Osteopenia was more prevalent in women with SES (77%) and identified as an independent risk factor (odds ratio = 1.81).

Conclusions:

• SES is associated with advanced age at symptom onset in both genders.
• Lower BMI and osteopenia are significant factors associated with SES in women.
• No significant associations were found with gender, smoking, alcohol use, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, type 2 diabetes, cataract surgery, glaucoma, or progressive addition spectacles.